Set in a fictional part of Shibuya, the protagonist, Neku, laid unconscious with a bout of amnesia. A stranger named Shiki approached him and explained they are a part of the Underground, an alternate plane of existence where nobody can hear or see them but the ones trapped as well. Neku and Shiki team up as participants of the Reapers' Game and survive seven days.

Back in 2007, Square Enix released a video game on the Nintendo DS that sparked a great amount of popularity and a tight fanbase. That game was The World Ends With You. An anime adaptation, The World Ends With You Animation, is a fantastic leap into the nostalgia of playing the game. 

• Although there were some changes from the Nintendo DS game compared to the animation, the animation itself stayed true to the original art style of the game. 
• While featuring some of the characters as well as a few of the original musical compositions of the originals, some fans would have liked to see more aspects stay true to the original. 

Don't let the title fool you, this isn't about the Disney character Snow White, but of a teenager experiencing personal growth and development as well as the instrument Shamisen. This slice of life anime truly brings in the beautiful light of Japanese culture and the string instrument shamisen.

Setsu is a troubled teenager who ran away from home to Tokyo when his grandfather died. His grandfather was a shamisen player and even though Setsu also played, he never played from his heart. Inspired by the girl he meets, Shuri Maeda, and his mother waltzing back into his life, Setsu enrolls into Umezono Academy where he opens up a shamisen club to teach others how to play.

• Filled with personal discoveries, enlightening stories, and the appreciation of the shamisen instrument, Mahiro No Oto is definitely worth the watch if a slice of life anime is your style.

Meet Kanata, a country girl obsessed with potatoes who finds a fallen meteor crashed next to her home. A mysterious girl from the crash gives Kanata two wristbands and tells her to become a Cosmo Beauty and join the Daiundokai tournament for it. Kanata trains hard and goes, and that's where the story begins. 

One of my most favorite animes in the 1990s was Battle Athletes Daiundokai. A sporty anime with pretty girls in outer space tackling personal growth development and life issues while striving to be the very best to win the Cosmo Beauty title. 

• Characters resembling those from the original Battle Athletes series keep you guessing the relations and connections from the past and how their family trees continued growing.

Meet Hori-San, a popular and bright high school student who hides the fact that she is a homebody who takes care of her younger brother. Meet Miyamura, a gloomy and nerdy boy. Although the two are completely different, their bond is inseparable, but keeping their secret lives hidden from their classmates shows as a true challenge. 

 As an anime adaptation of the successful manga, Horimiya is definitely a must-watch for any fans of romance and slice-of-life.

(Mental Health Trigger Warning)
Ai Ohto, a junior high student, befriends Koito Nagase, right before Kaito commits suicide. Ai eventually comes into contact with a gachapon machine called the Wonder Egg where she is told that she can bring Koito back to life if she continues to use Wonder Eggs. The first wonder egg mission is to protect a mysterious girl from the monsters called Seeno Evils.

 Wonder Egg Priority tackles deep and emotional themes like mental health and trauma, provides a whimsical yet horror-themed atmosphere, in a brightly colored animation. 

• What brought my attention to Wonder Egg Priority is that the main character resembles Coraline with blue hair and a yellow jacket. 
• Wonder Egg Priority definitely has a Puella Magi Madoka Magica likenesses.

In a world of living dolls and shadows, is the gorgeous and gothic mystery anime series Shadows House. Emilico, a cheerful and happy living doll, is assigned to the shadow mistress Kate. In the Noble House, the living dolls serve the shadow residents. Emilico soon works with other dolls in the manor and soon finds out what her true purpose of existence is.

Shadows House is beautifully told as a gothic mystery that has some disturbing elements of soft horror. Truly a hidden gem to this 2021 season of new anime.

• Truly compelling, mysterious, and dark despite how cheerful and positive Emilico is. 

A world filled with artificial intelligence and the destruction of mankind awaits in Vivi Flourite Eye's Song. Vivi, the first autonomous AI, is created into the world as a songstress to make those around her happy with her singing. Encountered by another AI from the future sweeps Vivi away in a mission to stop the devastating war that is a hundred years in the making.

Filled with character development, gorgeous music, incredible animation sequence, Vivi: Flourite Eye's Song is definitely a must-watch in 2021.

A group of hardcore skaters in Okinawa participate in a secret competition named "S" and bonds together competitors and alleys in the skating world. With robot skateboarders, ninja skaters, and even cat boy Miya, Sk8 the Inifinity brings action and the urge to jump on a skateboard.

 It's easy to grow attached to the characters of SK8 the Infinity with their wonderful personalities and silly escapades. Whether you're a skater or not, there are still many relatable situations that are really enjoyable to watch.

Yomogi Asanaka, a high school student, runs into a man who tells him that he is a kaiju user, someone who deals with the kaiju, the monsters that bring harm to the city. It is then when a kaiju starts destroying the city when Yomogi's life changed to protect the city and join a team of other kaiju users to take down the kaiju eugenicist, who manipulate kaiju for bad intent. 

 If you like mecha anime and kaiju (city-destroying monsters -yes, like Godzilla!) then this sequel to SSSS.Gridman is perfect for you! 

• SSSS. Dynazenon is a tokusatsu anime, which means special effects! 

Meet Odakawa, a walrus and a taxi driver who had a pretty mundane life until all of a sudden his cab rider patrons have conversations that lead to a missing girl. Odakawa ends up being the culprit while the yakuza and two corrupt cops are on his tail. Through his cab riding patrons, Odakawa soon learns more and more about the mystery through communication.

 Odd Taxi is a wild ride as a comedy and somewhat a mystery thriller. With anthropomorphic animals in a world of unique creatures and personalities, Odd Taxi is definitely a series that must be seen.

• Odd Taxi is filled with pop culture references and resembles elements from Quentin Tarantino films.